Ax guard



R. E. BROWN June 16,1931.

AX GUARD Filed Nov. 5, 1930 Patented June 16, 1931 PATENT". OFFICE ROBERT E. BROWN, or CLEAN; iinw YORK Y .AX-GUARD Application filed November This invention relates to cutlery and more particularly to a guard adapted toshield the utting edge of an ax head or similariimplement when .theimpleinent is not in use and thereby eliminate danger of a person being accidentally cut or the cutting edge dulled.

. One object of the invention is to provide a g'uard'movable from a folded position within a pocket formedin the handle of the ax to an extended'position for operative engagementuwiththe cutting edge of the-ax head and so form the guard that when it is in the pocket of the handle it will fit snugly therein where it will be out of the way and not interfere with gripping the handle in the usual manner when using the .aXJ q Another object of the invention is to pro.-

vide a guardconsisting of companion sections which have telescoping engagement. with each other, thereby permitting the guard when foldedto be disposed in a relatively short pocket formed in; the'handle, thereby eliminating unnecessary" weakening of the handle when forming thelpocket. p I Another object of the invention is to prov vide improvedmeans forslidably connecting the companionsections of the guard and permit the outer section 'to be easily slid longitudinally of the inner section but limit its sliding movement and thereby prevent likelihood of entire: separation oflthe two sections. i- Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for pivotally' mounting the inner section or shank oi'the guard and so mount this section that, while it may be swung about its pivot, th i s movement will be yieldably resisted,,"thereby causing the guard ltoremain in afolded or extended position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isa viewpartially in side elevation and partially'in section showing an ax equipped with the improved guard, Fig; 2 is aflongitud'nal' sectional vie through the handle with theguard in its folded position, ,V

is a transverse sectional view through the handle taken on-the'line 33of 5 Fig. 2, r

5,1930. Serial No. 493,643.

Fig. 4 is aperspective viewof the means for pivotally mounting the guard with the pivotpin withdrawn, and Y 1 Fig. 5 is 'a transverse sectional View through the guard taken on the line-5-5 of Fig. 1. a V

, The head 1 of the ax is of a conventional construction and is formed with the usual eye to receivea handle 2 which may be formed of wood or any other desired material and may also be of any length found convenient. A pocket 3 is formed longitudinally of the handle, and by referring to Figures 1 and 2 it will beseen that this pocket is formed in the rear portion of the handle and is openat its rear end andalso along the under portion. of thehandle' The pocket maybe formed in any desired ma'nner, but in the present illustration itjfhas been formed by cuttingthe handle longitudinally from its rear end and inserting'a strip 4 which fits snugly into place, asshown'in Figure 3, and'islfirmly secured by pins 1 or equivalent fasteners 5 passed transversely through the. handle and filler strip. I 'Inicase the handle is of metal, the pocket will be .forr'ned when "molding the handle, Y f

' The guard consists of inner and outer sec tions, 6 and 7 whichmay be referred to as a shield, and companion shank. These are formed ofmetal and the shield is U-shaped when, viewedin cross section,thereby providing a shieldfwhich may straddle the cutting edge of the ax head and very effectively prevent danger of a person being accidentally cut and, also prevent thecutting edge of the an from being nicked or otherwise dulled if the as should he accidentally dropped when in'use for cutting purposes; Flanges 8 pro- I r ject toward each other from the rear portions 90 of the side wall's'of the shield, as shown in Figures 2 and5 thereby forming the'rear end, portion of the shield into asleeve which fits snugly about the shankl'Z. this arrangement the shield may be slid longitudinally upon the shankbut its sliding movement will be guided and'since the shank is formed atits outer end .With'a lug 9 adapted to have con tactwith the sleeve when the shield is drawn outwardly to an extended position outward may be disposed within the pocket, as shown in Figure 2, when in a folded position and when it is swung out of the pocket and the shield drawn to an extended position for use, the curvature of the shield and its shank will cause the shield to be disposed in position to.

have straddling engagement with the cutting edge of the ax head, as shown in Figure 1.

The guard is to be pivotally mounted for swinging movement from a folded position within the pocket to an extended position for use, and in order to do so, there has been provided a mounting consisting of a U-shaped body 10 carrying a pivot pin 11 adjacent one end. This bearing fits snugly in the forward end portion of the pocket where it is secured by pins or equivalent fasteners 12 passed transversely through the handle and through openings 13 formed near ends of the bearing, and it should be noted that the pivot pin 11 is substantially oblong in cross section and has its ends engaged in diagonally disposed openings 14. formed-in the side walls of the hearing. The inner end portion of the shank 7 which is formed of resilient metal, such as spring steel, is split longitudinally in order to form aws 15, and these jaws straddle the pin and have their c onfrontingedge faces formed with opposed recesses 16 of such depth that, while the jaws may grip the pivot pin as shown in Figure 2, thetwo jaws will be prevented from contacting with each other.

Therefore, the two jaws will always have firm gripping engagement with the pivot pin and at the same time'the fact that the pivot pin has portions engaged in the recesses of the jaws will prevent the jaws from slipping longitudinally out of proper engagement with the pin.

Then the ax is not in use, the guard is disposed in an extended position, as shown in Figure 1, with the shield straddling the cutting edge of the ax head and since the two jaws of the shank grip the pin,'as shown in this figure, the guard will be prevented from accidentally swinging away from the ax head. If so desired, the channel between the walls of the shield into which the cutting edge of the axhead fits may be closed at its outerv end by pinching the walls of the shield together or in any other desired manner, thereby providing a stop at the outer end ofthe shield which will engage the ax head at the front end of the cutting edge and prevent any danger of the shield sliding longitudinally upon the shank'out of a shielding position in case it does not fit tightly about the shank or becomes worn by being slid'longitudinally of the shank. When the ax is to be used, the guard is grasped by its shield and swung rearwardly about the pivot pin. After the guard has moved rearwardly to a position at approximately right angles to the handle the shield is slid inwardly and the rearward movement of the guard then completed, thereby disposing the folded guard within the pocket, as shown in Figure 2. When so disposed, the guard will be positioned within the pocket where it will be out of the way and the ax handle may be grasped in the usual manner without interference by the guard. It should be noted that when the guard is in its folded position and disposed within the pocket the outer end of the shield projects a slight distance from the rear end of the pocket, thereby permitting it to be easily engaged at its rear end when it is to be swung outwardly to an operative position. In view of the fact that the aws fit snugly about the pivot pin in firm gripping engagement therewith when the guard is disposed within the pocket, this will cause the guard to. be firmly held in the pocket and prevented from accidentally moving out of the pocket toward an extended position. By having the pocket formed in the rear portion of the handle the forward portion thereof will be solid instead of being weakened as would be the case if the pocket extended the full length of the handle or were formed in the forward portion thereof and there-will be less likelihood of the handlebreaking when the ax is in use. i

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

' 1. An aX comprising a head, a. handle extending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket, and a guard for the cutting edge of ,the ax head movable from a folded position within the pocket to an extended position and consisting of an inner section movable into and out of the pocket, and an outer section slidably carried by the inner section and adapted to cover the cutting edge of the ax head when extended. 2 An ax comprising a head, a handle ex tending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket, and a guard for the cutting edge of the ax head movable from a foldedposition within the pocket to an extended position and consisting of inner and outer sections having telescoping engagement with each other, the inner section having one end pivotally mounted in the pocket. v i

' '3. An ax comprising a head, a handle extending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket, and a guard for the cutting edge of the ax head movable from a folded positionwithin the pocket to an extended position and consisting of an outer section adapted to cover the cutting to an extended position, and means topivotally mount the inner section at one end and yieldab-ly resist pivotal movement of the I inner section.

4. An ax COHIPIlSlIlg a head, a handle extending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket, and a guard for the cutting edge of the ax head movable from a folded position within the pocket to an extended position and consisting of an inner section movable into and out of the pocket, and an outer section adapted to straddle the cutting edge of the ax head and having its inner portion formed with a sleeve engaged about the innersection to slidably connect the outer section with the inner section.

' 5. An ax comprising a head, a handle extending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket, and a guard for the cutting edge of the ax head movable from a folded position within the pocket to an extended position and consisting of companion sections movable relative to each other, the outer section being adapted to have shielding engagement with the cutting edge of the ax head, a pivot extending transversely in said pocket non-circular in cross section, and resilient jaws at the inner end of the inner section gripping the pivot to pivotally mount the guard and yieldably resist movement thereof.

6. An ax comprising a head, a handle extending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket,and a guard for the cutting edge of the ax head movable from a folded position within the pocket to an extended position for use, jaws at the inner end of said guard, and a pivot non-circular in cross section extending transversely in the pocket and engaged between the jaws to pivotally mount the guard and yieldably resist movement thereof.

7 An ax comprising a head, a handle extending from said head and formed with a longitudinally extending pocket, and a guard for the cutting edge of the ax head movable from a folded position withinthe pocket to' an extended position foruse, jaws at the inner end of said guard, a bearing in said pock I et having spaced walls, and a pivot pin in said bearing non-circular in cross section, the aws belng engaged about the pin to, grlp the same and pivotally mount the guard and yieldablyresist movement thereof. 7

' In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

ROBERT E. BROWN. [L. s] 

